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The autumn splendor of chrysanthemums at the New York Botanical Garden
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The Imperial Seal of Japan is wowing flower lovers in the Bronx during the New York Botanical Garden's autumn flower show called "Kiku in the Japanese Garden" running now through November 15 in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory Courtyards.
Kiku, Japanese for "chrysanthemum," has been an important part of Japanese culture since the Chinese introduced it around the 8th century. Since that time, the Japanese incorporated this official flower of November into many aspects of society: The chrysanthemum is the flower of choice on the aforementioned Imperial Seal, used as the crest for shrines and temples, and even appears on the cover of the Japanese passport.
The New York Botanical Garden collaborated with Tokyo's Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in a cultural exchange that has taught NYBG to grow and train Japanese-style mums. The result is the third and final kiku exhibit, an elaborate display of flowers showing off their autumn colors.
These chrysanthemums aren't your average, run-of-the-mill mums. Skill and meticulous training are involved in creating not only a flower, but also a work of art. Unless you've been to Japan in the fall – or you've visited the previous two kiku exhibits at NYBG – you've never seen anything like the plants that were coaxed into growing up to six feet high and taking on unusual shapes. On display are four traditional styles of kiku: kengai, or cascade, where the mums are arranged in the shape of a waterfall; ogiku, meaning single stem, where single blossoms are lined up in rows; shino-tsukuri, where the bouquets mimic the driving rain; and ozukuri, or thousand bloom, where one display consists of a single plant bearing more than two hundred – but not one thousand – blooms. Each style is exhibited in its own uwaya, a traditional pavilion handcrafted from Douglas fir, bamboo, and reeds.
The mums aren't the only magnificent things to see. Japanese maples, pines, and bamboo are bursting in red, gold, and evergreen. Landscape architect and author Marc Peter Keane designed the serene autumn stone and kiku garden, and the kiku and maple garden offer visitors a glimpse of Kyoto. Bonsai are scattered throughout the conservatory, while lotus and cattail flourish in the ponds.
Other related programs during the final week of Kiku in the Japanese Autumn Garden include Japanese Autumn Adventures for children; entertainment provided by Taiko Masala, a Japanese drum group from Brooklyn; and demonstrations of Japanese gardening techniques in the Home Gardening Center.
The New York Botanical Garden is open Tuesday - Sunday from 10am - 6pm. Admission is $20 adults, $18 seniors and students, $8 children (2-12). For more information, go to NYBG's website.
